Itō Kashitarō

Ito Kashitaro (伊東 甲子太郎, January 1, 1835 – December 13, 1867) was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. He served as a strategist of the Shinsengumi, a literary instructor, and later became the leader of the Goryo Eji, also known as the Kodaiji faction.

Regarding the reading of his name, contemporary documents sometimes write it as “Kashijiro,” which supports the reading Kashitaro, although an alternative reading, Kinetaro, also exists.^[1]

Ito was born on December 3, 1834 (lunar calendar), corresponding to January 1, 1835, in Hitachi Province as the eldest son of Suzuki Senemon Tadaaki, a low-ranking samurai of the Shishiku Domain. His childhood name was Okura. After his father retired following a dispute with senior retainers, Okura inherited the family headship. However, previously undisclosed debts were later revealed, leading to the extinction of the family line and the family's expulsion from the domain.

Okura traveled to Mito to study, where he learned swordsmanship in the Shinto Munen-ryu style under Kaneko Kenshiro and studied Mitogaku, adopting strong imperial loyalist views. After the family's expulsion, his father opened a private school in Takahama village, and Okura assisted as an instructor.

Later, Okura entered the Hokushin Itto-ryu dojo of Ito Seiichiro in Fukagawa, Edo. Recognized for his talent, he was taken in as a son-in-law and adopted, thereafter calling himself Ito Okura. Records from 1864 indicate that he was a retainer of Toda Ginjiro of the Mito Domain. His wife was named Mitsu, and he had a daughter named Ei. Disciples living at the dojo included Utsumi Jiro and Kanazawa Yarijiro.

In October 1864, through the mediation of fellow student Todo Heisuke, Ito joined the Shinsengumi. In November, he traveled to Kyoto with his younger brother Suzuki Mikisaburo, close associates such as Shinohara Taisuke and Kano Washio, and disciples including Utsumi Jiro and Nakanishi Noboru.

From this time, he adopted the name Ito Kashitaro, derived from the zodiac year kinoe-ne (kasshi) in which he went to Kyoto. He was appointed strategist and literary instructor. Handsome and eloquent, Ito gained considerable popularity within the Shinsengumi.

However, ideological differences emerged. While both sides supported expelling foreigners, the Shinsengumi remained loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate, whereas Ito increasingly advocated imperial restoration, creating irreconcilable tension.

On March 20, 1867 (April 24, 1867), under the pretext of investigating Satsuma Domain activities and guarding imperial tombs, Ito left the Shinsengumi and formed the Goryo Eji with fourteen followers. Establishing their base at Tsukushin-in of Kodaiji in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, the group was also known as the Kodaiji faction.

Ito refused requests from disgraced former Shinsengumi members such as Takeda Kanryusai to join the group. Around this time, he also used the name Ito Settsu.

On November 18, 1867 (December 13, 1867), three days after the Omiya Incident, Ito was invited by Kondo Isami and entertained at a mistress's residence. After being heavily intoxicated, he was ambushed and assassinated at the gate of Honkoku-ji on Aburanokoji Street by Shinsengumi members led by Oishi Kuwajiro. This incident is known as the Aburanokoji Incident. He was 34 years old.

It is said that Ito shouted “treacherous villains” as he died. His body was left on the street as bait to lure out the Goryo Eji. When his comrades arrived to retrieve the body, they were ambushed, resulting in the deaths of Todo Heisuke and others.

Ito's grave is at Kaiko-ji in Higashiyama, Kyoto. In March 1868, his remains were reinterred there from Kōen-ji in Shimogyo Ward.

• The Ito dojo in Fukagawa was large and prosperous, comparable in scale to that of a minor hatamoto household.
• In 1867, Ito submitted four memorials to the Imperial Court. In the third, submitted shortly after the Taisei Hokan, he proposed forming a new government centered on court nobles, recruiting talent nationwide, making five Kinai provinces direct imperial territory, and instituting universal conscription. His views evolved from opposing the opening of Kobe Port to advocating broad national opening and military strengthening.
• After leaving the Shinsengumi, Ito encouraged his followers to study English.
• After the Meiji Restoration, Oishi Kuwajiro was executed for Ito's assassination, and Soma Kazue was exiled to Niijima.
• In 1918, Ito was posthumously awarded Junior Fifth Rank, and in 1932 he was enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
• While Kondo Isami welcomed Ito's membership in the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo reportedly viewed him with suspicion.
• Ito composed four waka poems mourning the seppuku of Yamanami Keisuke.

• Shinsengumi in popular culture
• Ito Kashitaro (singer)

• Ichii Koichi, People of the Kodaiji Faction, Hitobito Bunko, 1977.